General Aviation pilots (particularly agricultural pilots)
continue to strike wires, such as powerlines, while flying.
Over the past 10 years, there were around 180 wirestrike
accidents in Australia. In the majority of these accidents the
pilots were aware of the powerlines before they struck them.
Minimise your risk
The following strategies will help minimise the risk of striking
wires while flying:
- Ensure you are physically and mentally fit to fly. Fatigue can
adversely affect short-term memory, reaction time, alertness levels
and your focus of attention. - Set client expectations so that they are clear that safety
comes first. This includes managing operational pressures, and not
accepting tasks that are beyond your personal minimums. - Conduct an aerial reconnaissance before low-flying operations.
While a detailed map and a thorough briefing are important, you
need to confirm wire locations and other hazards for yourself. - Reassess the risks when plans change. Treat any changes in your
plan as a 'red flag' - something you should consider and assess
before going any further. - void unnecessary distractions and refocussing when distracted.
Distraction, combined with the difficulty in seeing a wire, makes
wires extremely hard to avoid at the last minute. - Keep vigilance limitations in mind. The amount of time spent on
a monotonous task will affect your ability to remain
attentive. - Actively look for wires. Without attention, there is no
perception. You are unlikely to notice an approaching wire if you
are not actively looking for it, even if you were previously aware
of it.
More information
The ATSB has released, in association with the Aerial Agriculture
Association of Australia, a booklet that highlights recent
wirestrike accidents, and the lessons learnt from them. It also
highlights the role of landholders and utility owners in
contributing to safety. This includes installing markers on wires,
particularly where regular low-level flying takes place.
The booklet, Wirestrikes involving known wires: A manageable
aerial agriculture hazard is available on the ATSB website.
The Aerial Agriculture Association of Australia and other
organisations conduct training in wirestrikes risk management.
Further information is available at www.aerialag.com.au
A large range of information is also available on CASA's Wire
Strike Resources web page at www.casa.gov.au